"I have--something to teach you,
Juliet--something that you can only learn--alone with me. And till you
have learnt it, there will be no going back."
She bent her head to avoid the unwavering directness of his look.
"You--are going to hurt me--punish me," she said under her breath.
His hands still held hers, and strangely there was something sustaining
as well as relentless in their grasp.
"It may hurt you," he said. "I don't feel I know you well enough to
judge. As to punishing you--" he paused a moment--"well, I think you have
punished yourself enough already."
Again a great tremor went through her,--a tremor that ended in a sob. She
bent her head a little lower to hide her tears. But they fell upon his
hands and she could not check them. Her throat worked convulsively,
resisting all her efforts and self-control. She became suddenly blinded
and overwhelmed by bitter weeping.
"Ah, Juliet--Juliet!" he said, and went down on his knees before her,
folding her closely, closely to his breast...
It seemed to her a very long time later that she found herself lying
exhausted against the sofa-cushions, feeling his arm still about her and
poignantly conscious of his touch.
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